24-Year-Old Chinese Pop Star Dating 12-Year-Old Child Model

24-year-old Chinese pop star Zhang Muyi is shouting from the rooftops (of the internet) about his love for his girlfreind, Canadian model Akama Miki… Canadian child model, we should say: Akama happens to be 12.

They recently came out as a couple on Weibo (a popular Chinese social networking site), where they post constant messages of love and devotion, like this one (from Zhang): “Today we’re super happy, laughing, being crazy, had a nap and practised singing. I said to Miki, ‘I’m going to be with you as you grow, I’ll always wait for you.’ ” And, of course, lots and lots of uncomfortable photos that emphasize their age difference:

As another example, Akama recently turned 12–they met when she was 8 (he was hired to be her music coach) but began dating when she was 11–and Zhang offered these unsettling birthday wishes, “I simply can’t wait for these next four birthdays of yours to pass, I’m counting down each one.” Which we’re assuming is an age of consent thing. You’d think, as Jezebel points out, this would cause a furious shitstorm but… instead their one million-strong legion of fans are captivated. And regularly offer messages of support about love knowing no bounds, etc.

Which leads us to the next point–which we hope is the weird, dark light at the end of this horrible tunnel–it’s probably just the world’s worst publicity stunt: Akama is launching a pop music career and, naturally, they decided to reveal their “courageous love” right before releasing a duet:

In case you can’t watch the video, the absolute most disturbing part occurs in the first few seconds, when Akama is shown writing her name in the tentative, open, uncertain script that all young children use. Because she is 12. The rest is mostly shots of them in the studio, side-by-side as they lip sync emotionlessly.

Responding to the allegations of a publicity stunt, Zhang released this statement:

Many people have doubted us and our love story. There’s nothing we can do about this, nor do we feel the need to prove anything to these people. All we can do is continue to persevere with our love, our life, and being together.

I know this is an OBVIOUS question, but, isn’t this illegal or something? What about the LITTLE girl’s parents? One thing is difference in cultures, but this?? Seriously?? Pedobear is smirking somewhere *sigh*

Lo

The age of consent in most of China seems to be fourteen, so yep, sex right now would be illegal. They’re ‘counting down’ instead, though, so that downgrades it to ‘creepy’.

Carly Cauthen

You have got to be freaking kidding me!!!!!!!!!!!!! Why is this disgusting pervert not in jail?!!!!!!

rabbi

U take seet ovah deh nao!

Vanessa Vieira

love is a beautiful thing.

NET

very sweet that he is so willing to wait for her with that whole love knows no bounds or age, may they have all the support of people down their road

Anitya

The song itself shows his need to brainwash her. She’s too young to know what love is, (obviously he is too) so why isn’t the song about how much he loves her? Because he loves himself. It makes him feel better to be in control. Only little men love little girls. (other than their daughters). No woman his own age would want him, he would not be able to manipulate a woman!

CW

Ick. Ick. Ick. I though it was bad when my brother dated an 8th grader as a H.S. junior. But that was only a 4 year age gap.

Cheri

The whole “love knows no bounds” thing? That works when you’re a princess in love with a pauper, or a 53 year-old in love with a 29 year-old. Not with a twelve year-old.

If she was sixteen or seventeen I think it’d be a little less weird and a lot less creepy, but still…eww.

Eww.

Blech.

Veronique

If this “model” is Canadian, the age of consent will be 16 – before this age, even hand-holding and kissing can be reported to the police. A 12 year old can only consent to a relationship with a 14 year old.

Alicia

I’m from a little city in Canada called Medicine Hat and we had a 12 year old girl and her 24 year old boyfriend murder her parents and brother. Twelve year old girls are the stupidest creatures on Earth. I’ll take cheeseball songs over that any day.

El

A lot of asspained ugly old hags in these comments. Good for him! Women never emotionally mature past age 11 anyway.

Bob

Well she is probably more emotionally stable and mature than 24 year old women… he did well.

Nathalia

Yes, kids are usually more emotionally stable than women, because they have not yet been through puberty. I too had a crush on Leo DiCaprio when I was that age, and he was over 20, but I never thought about having sex with him and I clearly would not want him now, because my views changed during growing-up.

Cara

How in hell would you know Bob? Have you been getting with kids, too?
It also seems you’re bitter that you haven’t had any real relations with legal aged women.

Susis

This is a great relationship, I’m sure they will give each other happiness for a long time to come.

It’s a shame so many people are brainwashed now-a-days into thinking this sort of relationship is “disgusting” when a quick look at most of human history will show that it’s the norm.

It was only 100 years ago when feminism really started to take hold when things like “age of consent” laws came into effect. As other commenters have pointed out we all know what feminists typically look like, fat, gross, old, bitter women. Suck on it the lot of you. They love each other and that’s all that matters.

CW

Throughout most of human history, daughters were married off to the suitor of their father’s choosing or simply abducted by a raider. So love had nothing whatsoever to do with it.

I’m not a huge fan of 2nd wave feminism but the right of a woman to choose her own husband once she is old enough to legally wed is a good thing. If Akama wants to marry Zhang when she is 18 and he is 30, then that’s her choice. But he should leave her alone until she is an adult.

Zhang liao

just call it an early investment

Zhang liao

western culture is relationship = sex the meaning of love to them is a pack of condom inside a car without the parents knowing anything until their pregers

eastern culture is bond with both family companionship for a long run & promises that’s love

Sakura

Sure is a lot of haters in these comments. What exactly is the problem with their relationship? It’s not illegal to be in love, regardless of age. They are waiting till she is the age of consent before they have sex, so there shouldn’t be a problem.

Cate

Surely you’ve heard of ‘grooming’. Just because they are waiting (though who knows if that’s actually the case) does not mean this isn’t incredibly creepy. We can only hope this is nothing more than a terrible publicity stunt.

Jūouken

Why do people feel the need to judge everyone? Why do they hate everyone who acts differently to them? Can’t they just accept people, or even be happy for them?

I hope that the hatred and jealousy of articles like this does not affect this beautiful couple, and I wish them luck and happiness in their future.

LunaLAValliere

I’ll just assume everyone who is pro this relationship is also pro pedophilia.. It’s creepy, and there is no proof they aren’t or won’t have sex. It’s only a matter of time before he makes a move. If he wasn’t a pedophile then he would be with a woman his age, not a little kid. Shame on them, shame on their “supporters,” shame on their publicists, and shame of her parents for letting this happen.

Roberto

Me and my wife are 11 yrs apart ( me 41, she 30 ). Nothing wrong with having a huge age gap between couple. Lighten up !

Jenniwren

Did you meet her when she was a child and you were a legal adult? Because if not, it’s really not the same thing at all.

Alyssa

Your wife is not a child. There is a difference here because this girl is TWELVE. This ADULT man is attracted to a TWELVE YEAR OLD CHILD.

Zhang liao

its culture besides were Asian

we think differently compare to western
& read more people the girl already have her parent consent you thing any parent would just give away their child,unless they’re rednecks

Zhang liao

I agree so is my dad & mom

lets just call this case an early investment

JJ

Unless they’re breaking the law and nobody is getting hurt then who cares?

Tyciol

Their love is so beautiful, I hope they have a happy future together.

Lo, pray tell what is creepy about them counting down until they can physically share their love?

Mr. Big

By 12 years old they’re already washed up. The prophet Mohammad had the right idea, get them when they’re 8.

Jessica

I am shocked and disturbed to see so many people giving this ‘relationship’ their blessings. Since when is it okay for an ADULT to have a romantic relationship with a CHILD? Have I missed something here? If they are that in love and he cares about her so much and is willing to wait, then he should have no problem with WAITING until she is of age to have any kind of romantic relationship with her. People have to realize this isn’t about an age gap, it’s about an adult dating a child…a young, impressionable person who hasn’t developed fully physically, mentally or emotionally.

Sakura

You don’t have to “fully develop” in order to have a relationship. 14 year olds are not fully developed physically, and certainly not fully developed mentally or emotionally, yet they date and have sex with each other. Yet all of a sudden, because the other party in the relationship is an adult, it’s suddenly “bad” for the girl? At least he actually seems to care about her and is willing to wait until she is older. If only more kids these days were like them.

Zhang liao

its culture fool

Sam

I’m really not sure what’s more disturbing- the fact that an adult is openly dating a child, or the fact that some people see this as ‘beautiful’.

Jessica

I couldn’t agree more

Zhang liao

the fact the its eastern culture so its normal look at the guy hes 24 & still looks so young

western in the age of 12 are already disgusting huge fat & hairy asians are different

Katy

clearly a publicity stunt- thank GOD!

tanena

I hope anyone making supportive comments is now on an international watch list. I think I have a right to know who the hell you are in case you are with in 10 miles of my children.

Zhang liao

by the way you talk let me guess your children are chubby close to obese over feed over weight don’t worry only you can touch them

Nathalia

I am not sure whether they are counting down to “age of consent” or to “age of legally being able to marry”, they are from a rather conservative country after all. Besides I doubt that the girl even knows what sex is, because from my own experience I know that such things are not talked about till you are in your late teens almost anywhere in Asia.

slimjim66

Sick .

Danniel

ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

Miss Kitsune Luna

where the hell are her parents! my mom would seriously shoot any 24 year old trying to date me if I was 12! and I would never let a grown man near my daughter if she was still a child if he had the hots for her! Im not disgusted by the age difference at all, Im disgusted that he’s dating her while she’s still a child! if he considered having a romantic relationship when she’s at least 17 or 18 fine by me, but why now? he should respect that she needs to have a childhood and allow her to grow up if he truly cares for her! its like he’s grooming her…ugh, something about this relationship makes me feel uneasy, romances like this may look cutesy wootsie on anime and manga but not in real life! I officially lost faith in humanity